benjamin



G. H. BENJAMIN.

EVAPORATOR AND METHOD OF OPERATING SUCH EVAPORATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-23.1918.

1,355,935, Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

3 SHEE1S---SHLET I.

- 75' i TIG.2. 66 6'9 6'8 6 73 E 7/ E H o g; 6'6 6'9 7 5:

G. H. BENJAMIN.

EVAPORATOB AND METHOD OF OPERATING SUCH EVAPORATOR. APPUCATION HLEDrs.2a.191a.

1,355 ,935, Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

3 SHEE1SSHEET 2.

FIG. 5. 57 FIG.

D O O B GEORGE- HILLABD BENJAIMIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

EVAPORATOR AND METHOD OF OPERATING SUCH EVAPOBATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

. Application filed February 23, 1918. Serial No. 218,618.

To all whom 2t may can 021%:

Method of Operating SuchEvaporators, of which the foil wing is aspecification.

In U. S ettersPatent-Nd.1,225,118

granted to F. T. Evans on May 8, 1917, there is describedaifiethod ofobtaining pure water from salt water, which consists in evaporating saltwater by heat to obtain a watery vapor containing a smallpercentage ofsalt, then super-heating the vapor so derived under conditions where nowater is present as ahody. and finally condensing the superheated vapor.In such patent there is described an apparatus for carrying theabovedescribed method into effect. This apparatus, in practice, wasfound to be successfiil, but is open to the objection that hightemperature steam is required to superheat the vapor, which hightemperature steam is not always available on all vessels whereevaporating apparatus may be employed.

My invention relates to apparatus and method of operating saidapparatus, by reason of which the above described method may be carriedinto elfect, but which differs from. that described in the'patent ofEvans in that the superheating of the vapor is accomplished by means ofthe temperature effects of an electric current transmitted throughsuitable apparatus. B reason of my improved apparatus, I am a le toeffect the original evaporation of. the salt water to form the vapor, bymeans either of steam of low temperature, or the tem erature ef fects ofan electric current, an the superheating of the v or by the temperatureeffects of an electric current, with the heating mediums susceptible ofliidependent control.

Further, through the use'of thetemperature effects of an electriccurrent tor superheating the vapor, I am able to tibta temperatureeffects thanlethe base;

' 'superheatedsteam, and agent-"16m neitdily controllable, andhencemtliih more economical in application. The accompanyi illustrate myinvention, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section" through a form of my a parat whereiheevaporating and super eating c amheraiareeach arranged to be heated bythe temperature effects of electric current.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the superheating chamber, looking to the rightof the upper portion of Fig. 1, with the bottom broken away to show thesuperheating elements.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line IVIV of the evaporatingchamber shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section corresponding to Fig. 1, showing anelevation of a modified form of my evaporating apparatus, with thesuperheating chamber in this figure shown to be heated by thetemperature ef- 'fects of electric current, and the evaporating chamberby steam; also showing the heating elements through which the electriccurrent is utilized in the superheating chamber, swung out of thesuperheating chamber for cleaning.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section of one of the electrical heatingelements, shown in the superheating chambers of Figs. 1, 5 and 10.

PATENT OFFICE.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the -means employed to supportthe door and heating elements of the evaporating chamber when in andwhen. removed from the evaporating chamber.

Fig. 10 is a vertical section of another form of my evaporator, showingthe heating elements in the evaporatin chamber formed of steam coils asshown in ig. 5, and a separate electrical heating element situated belowthe steam coils, and further showing the superheating chamber mountedover the evaporating chamber.

Fi 11 is a horizontal section on the line XI-- I of Fi .flll and Fig. 12is a iqqiiontal section'ion the line XIIXII of 10.

In the various ws, similar numerals indicate like parts.

In the drawings, 15 indicates the evaporatingchamber, which is of theusual construction, and provided with a removable door 16 mounted uponthe wheeled support" 17. Situated within the chamber 15, are the heatingelements 1819 20. In Fig. 1 the electrical heating element 18 occupiesthe whole of the waterspace 21. In Fig. 5, the steam heating element 20occupies the whole of the water space 21, and in Fig. 10 the electricalheating element 19 occupies the lower portion of the water space 21, andthe steam heating element 20 the upper portion of the water space 21.

I wish to have it understood that I do not limit myself in any wise tothe an ount of space which the heating elements shall occupy within theevaporating chamber lfi, or the proportions of the space which shall beoccupied respectively by the electric and steam heating elements, nor doI wish to limit myself in any wise to the particular construction of theheating elements, as they may be considerably modified from those shown.

In Fig. 1 the heating element 18 consists of four symmetrically disposedshaped metal tubes 22, mounted upon and supported by a casing 23connected at one end to the door 16. Situated within each of the tubes22, is a orcelain plate 24, having helical grooves 5 formed in itssurface in which is wound a spiral coil 26. The plate 24 is detachablyconnected to the casin 23 by nuts 27. The coils 26 are connecte inmultiple to conductors 28-29 respectively connected to minus and plusspring contact plates 30-31 on the front of the door 16. Arranged tocooperate with contact plates 3031, is a switch 32, pivotally mounted onthe front of the evaporator, as shown at 33. By means of this switch,the coils 26 can be thrown into circuit with a source of electricityexterior to the evaporator. The electrical heating element shown inFigs. 10 a 12, consists of a metallic annulus 34, connected through tube35 to the front of the evaporator shell. Located within the annulus is aclay annulus 36 having a spiral groove 37 on which is helically wound aspiral coil 38. This coil is connected to the contact plates 3031 in thesame manner as is shown in Fig. 4. The metallic annulus 34 is supportedabove the bottom of the evaporator by posts 39, the object of which isto allow space for. circulation of water around the annulus, and keepthe bottom of the annulus out of contact with the salt which forms onth. bottom of the'evaporator.

In Figs. 5 and 10 the steam heating element consists of the horizontallydisposed manifolds 4041, respectively connected to the door 16. lmanifolds are the helical coils 42. In Figs.

5 and 10 the steam. heating element 20, eon-.. sidered as a whole, isattached to the door, 16 and ada ted to be drawn out of the evaporatoror cleaning, and the same is heater 52 is located imme essential.

Interposed between these Luipau true of the electrical heating element18 in Fig. 1. In the construction shown in Fig. 10, the electricalheating element is not attached to the door, pht permanently attached tothe bottom 0 lire evaporator.

In Fig. 10, a casing 4 open at the bottom, is arranged over the annulus34, and situated above this casing is a pipe 44 which is carried throughthe manifolds 4041. In Fi 5 the helical coils 42 are arranged in line aon the manifolds 40-41, the manifolds bei g straight. In Fig. 11, themanifolds are shown as formed as annuli. disposed horizontally with thehelical coils arranged around the annuli. In Fi s. 5 and 11, themanifolds 40-41 are s own as adapted to coact with steam connections45-46 mounted on the door 16, which steam connections are ada tedtocoact with other steam connections 4 secured to the external surfaceof the shell of the evaporator, and they in turn adapted to connect withsteam pipe 48 leading to the source of steam supply, the object of whicharrangement is to provide that the main steam connection to theevaporator shallremain unbroken when the door 16 and the heatin elementsat-' tached thereto, "are removed rom the evaporator shell for cleaning.

It will be understood that when the door shown in Fig. 10 is removedfrom the evaporator, pipe 44 is carried out with the door, moving overthe top of the casing 43.

Located in the top of the evaporator shell '15, are theusualbaflles49-50. Connected 10a to the top of the evaporator shell is apipe 51, which leads into the bottom of the superheater shell'52. .53-54represent pipes connecting the evaporator shell, by means of which saltwater or fresh water for cleaning, may be introduced into the evaporatorshell 15. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and .5, the superheater52 is located at a distance from the evaporator 15. In the constructionshown in Fi 10, the super- 11o iately above the evaporator 15. I do notlimit myself in any wise to the position of the superheater 52 asregards the evaporator 15. In each of the fi res, the superheater isshown as located a ove the evaporator. This is not It ma beon a levelwith the evaporator or be ow it. The only requirement being that nowater will pass from the evaporator 15 into the superheater 52. Thereason for this is that it is impossible to superheat vapor in thepresence of water. Consequently, the arrangement of parts must be suchthat there is no water in the superheater at any time. In practice, itis 'found that there will be no water but should water condense,arrangements should be made'to tap olf the water so as not to leaveany-,water1 .wh1ch may be absorbed by.

the vapor it is superheated.

naub oaa The superheater 52 is provided with a door 55. The top of thedoor is connected through a link 56 to a pivoted arm 57 on the top ofthe superheater. By reason of this construction, the door and theheating elements which it supports, may be swung awa from thesuperheater shell, as shown in ig. 5 for clean in or otherwise.

Extendin inward horizontally from the top of t e door 55, is an annulus58. 'A horizontal plate-like body 59- extends in- ,.'ward across theshell 52 in line with the jbottom of the door. Depending from theannulus are a series of efements 60. Each heatin lectrical heating 2element consists of a cylindrical body of clay 61, on the surface ofwhich is formed a spiral groove 62, in which is wound a wire helix 63.Surrounding the groove and helix is a metal tube 64, closed at thebottom, which de ends from the annulus 58. The surface 0? this tube isshaped to corres ond with the general contour of the cy indrical body61. Supported in plate 59 is an upwardly extending tube 65. A space isleft between the top of this tube and the bottom of the exteri'or of theannulus 58. A third tube 66 depends from the annulus 58, the bottom ofthis tube being flared outward, 'as shown at 67, Fig, 1. T c three tubes6465--66, are

arranged concentrically and have the same surface configuration.Situated over the Jcylindrical body,61, and secured by a screw thread inthe annulus 58, are removable caps 68, which may be removed forexamination of the connections to the helix 63. The helix 63 isconnected in multiple to the conductors 6970, which are in turnconnected to switches 71 adapted to coiiperate with contact plates 7273mounted on the exterior of the superheater, and connected to a suitablesource of electricity. The plate 59 has formed in it, perforations 74,as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be observed, that byreason of the spacing of the tubes 64-65'66,channels exist between them, through which circulation of the vapor maytake place, the circulation being upward between the tubes 6465 anddownward between the tubes/ 66. The advantage of this arrangement isthat the vapor passes within the influence of the heat from the heatingelements, twice as a film. This is indicated by the arrows in Fig. 6.

The operation of m improved device will be readily understoo Saltwater'is introduced into the evaporating chamber through pipe 53, untilthe Water reaches the top, of the heating elements, whatever thecharacter of the elements employed,

leaving a space between the top of the bat mitted to the water, theresult being the formation of a vapor which passes off throu h pipe 51to superheater 52. In super eater 52 the vapor passes upward through theperforations 74 in the plate 59, and as a film through the channelsbetween the tubes, 64-65-66, passing first in an upward direction andthen in a downward direction, and thence out of the super-heater throu hthe pipe 75.

In .ig. 5 eva oration is caused by the temperature of t e steam passingthrough the heating coil in Fig. 10 by the temperature of the steam.passing through the heating coils supplemented b the temperature due tothe electrical heatlng element 19 in the bottom of the evaporator.

In the construction shown in Fig. 10, the disposition of the arts is forthe purpose of obtaining a ciriiilation of the water to be evaporated. Te heat developed by the heating element 19 causes the water to moveupward in the direction' of the arrow through the pi e 44 and out of thepipe in a downward direction. This construction ossesses an advantageover that shown in *igs. 1 and 5, and for the reason that thetemperature may be increased through the electrical heating element 19,circulation effected and evaporation made more rapid than-is the casewhere no arrangement is provided for eifectin circulation of the water.The vapor, a ter passing *through pipe 51 as above described, passes asa film over the electrical'heating eleme t in the superheater 52, and istherein e ectually superheated, that is, heated to such an eX- tent asto cause it to deposit practically all of the salt carried by thevfipor. It will be understood from the description,- as far as given,that the heating elements of the evaporator and superheater maybeindepndently controlled, and thus the temperature exhibited in thesetwo vessels determined at will. Thus, the temperature exhibited in theevaporator vessel may be such as-to cause a slow or rapid evaporation ofthe water, and the temperature exhibited in the superheater vessel maybe such as to superheat the vapor to any desired temperature. In certainconditions of ,use of evaporators, it has been found unnecessary tosuperheat the vapor delivered from the evaporator, for instance, whenthe vessel is at rest or moving on an even keel, but highly desirable tosuperheat the vapor when the vessel is pitching in a Seaway, which tendsto produce priming from the evaporator. A further efiect is obtained bythe use of the apparatus described, which is that if the vapor issuperheated to a high degree, the temperature unitsbound with the vapor,are in a condition to be radiated with great rapidity.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim:

1. In an evaporator, the combination of an evaporating chamber, a steamheating apparatus located therein through which steam may be circulatedand the temperature contro led, a superheating chamber, an electricheating apparatus located therein through Vwhich electric energy may beapplied and the temperature controlled, together with means whereby thevapor set free in the evaporating chamber will be carried into thesuperheating chamber.

2. In an evaporator, the combination of an eva orating chamber, twosources of heat ber, 'sa'id heating apparatus separately controllable, asuperheating chamber, an electric apparatus located in said superheatingchamber and separately controllable from the heating apparatus ofthe'evaporating chamber, together with means whereby the va or set freein the evaporating chamber E; 1 be. carried into the superheatingchamr.a 4. In an evaporating apparatus, the combination of an evaporatingchamber, means for applyingtem erature to the interior of amber-to e ectevaporatiogi of ii uid the c in said chamber, a superheatin cham er,means whereby the .va or set ree in the evaporating ohamherfyvi becarried into the superheating chambeiglfneans located in thesuperheating chamber. whereby the vapor in: troduced-iiito the chamberwill be caused to pass asa film over the heating unit in suchsuperheating chamber, a heating device in said supprlieating chamber,together with means r'pseparately controlli the temperatures exhibitedthrough the eating apparatus in the evaporating and superheatingchamber-18. o a

an evaporating chamber;i

5. In an evaporator, the combination of a removable door, a heating unitmounte upon the door, a superheating chamber, a removable door, aheating unit mounted upon the door, a pipe connection between the top ofthe evaporating chamber and the bottom of the superheating chamber,together with means for separately controlling the temperature effectsof the heating units of the evaporating and superheating chambers.

6. In an evaporator, the combination of an evaporating chamber adaptedto contain a liquid, a heating unit adapted to be immersed in the liquidand through its temperature efiect's set free a vapor, a superheatingchamber, means located a in such chamber whereby the va or introducedinto said chamber will pass t rou h such chamber as a film, means in saichamber for superheating such film during its passage, means interposedbetween the evaporating and superheating chambers for carrying the vaporset free in the evaporating chamber into the superheating c amber,.together with means for separately controlling the application of heatthrough the instrumentalities described in the evaporating and in thesuperheating chambers.

7. In an evaporator, the combination of an evaporating chamber, means insaid chamber for applyin heat to vaporize the fluid contained in saichamber, a pipe leading from the top of said evaporating chamberthrough'which the vapor set free in such chamber will be carried fromthe evaporatorg together with means located external to sai evaporatin%chamber for superheating the vapor as a lm as it passes from saidevaporator, and said evaporator and superheating means provided withindependent heat controllin apparatus.

8. T e method of converting salt water into'fresh water, which consistsin subjecting salt water to the action of heat in a closed vessel to setfree a vapor, conveying the vapor to aclosed vesseli transmitting thevapor through such close vessel as a film and subjectin the film to theaction of a controllable high temperature to superheat the film.

In testimon whereof I aflix m si' GEORG HILLARD' BEll JA -ature.

